The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is already examining issues around the technical glitch at IndusInd Bank’s subsidiary that led to 84,000 loans being disbursed without the customers’ consent. The lender will also undertake an external audit of the issue if required.

This was informed by IndusInd Bank’s Managing Director and CEO, Sumant Kathpalia, at an analyst call on November 6. He also denied allegations of evergreening of loans and stressed that there is strong risk management and a control framework in place – both within the bank and its microfinance subsidiary Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd (BFIL).

“Yes, it is part of the annual review process which happens and it is already going on and they (RBI) are reviewing this portfolio,” Kathpalia said in response to a query on whether this issue would be a part of the risk-based supervision audit that is conducted by the RBI. “The whistleblower complaint was marked to the RBI also and the bank has kept the regulator abreast on its internal review process,” he further said.

Internal review

Meanwhile, responding to another query, Kathpalia said the bank will appoint an external auditor to validate the results of the internal review.

Also read: IndusInd Bank shares slump 11 per cent following loan evergreening issue

“We will have the review process completed. We will have a committee which will include external participants and an external auditor validating the results, and will have an independent process to give comfort to the investors that everything is right in BFIL. We will not be happy only with the internal audit,” he said.

In the call, Kathpalia also said the bank has a strong succession plan for BFIL in place in case its top management leaves. Non-executive Vice Chairman of BFIL, MR Rao, had stepped down in September but Kathpalia said he continues to work as an advisor with IndusInd Bank.

‘Unlisted company’

While analysts expressed surprise that this was not informed to the stock exchanges, Kathpalia maintained that BFIL is an unlisted company. “There was an agreement that he will retire in March 2021 and we had honoured that… he was also very upset on the 84,000 loans. We have taken action against certain persons,” he said.

Also read: Under fire, IndusInd Bank begins review of microfinance subsidiary

Trying to assuage concerns, he also said that the bank has been following a conservative provisioning approach.

“IndusInd Bank could have done better in terms of communicating about the management changes in BFIL and a technical glitch in the microfinance book, which led to allegations of evergreening in the MFI book (which otherwise has always been an area of suspicion). We believe that the bank’s turnaround story remains intact but it needs to work more on strengthening credit underwriting/risk management, and communication with the stakeholders to sustain the long-term rerating,” said Emkay Global Financial Services in a note on Monday.

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